Cunningham Museum

Find out what makes Grant County, Wisconsin, unique. The Cunningham Museum displays a mix of permanent and rotating exhibits on local history, including relics of Grant County in the Civil War, the historic African-American community Pleasant Ridge, and the county’s industries, crafts, celebrities, and more.

Hours

Admission

There is no charge for admission, but freewill donations are accepted.

Location

129 E Maple St, Lancaster, WI 53813

Cunningham Museum Exhibits

Pleasant Ridge Exhibit

The Cunningham Museum preserves the history of Pleasant Ridge, a former African American community located west of Lancaster in Beetown Township. It began with Charles Shepherd (a freed slave) in 1850 and ended with the death of Charlie Greene in 1977. Though the families are gone, many, recently too, have made the community cemetery their final resting place.

As historian and educator Ruby West Jackson, said:

From my vantage point looking over the cemetery and valley, I could almost visualize the prominent membners of the early settlers — the Shepherds, Greenes, Grimes, and Richmonds — and came to an even deeper appreciation for their spirit and determination to forge the paths and lay the foundations for our lives today.

Civil War Collections

Lance Herdegen, the state’s leading authority on Wisconsin’s role in the Civil War, said of the collection: “Do you know what you have here?”

Come and find out!

The Joe Greer Collection

Learn the story of a Grant County Sheriff who ran a nationally-known rodeo associated with greats like Gene Autry, the cowboy star and Major League Baseball owner. The collection features world class saddles and spurs.

Much, Much More…

From lead mining and brewing to dressmaking and taxidermy, Grant County’s historic workers and artists are well represented at the Cunningham Museum.